Cruz Plaza buzzed with activity as students visited booths run by campus organizations sharing resources on mental, physical and emotional health at the Wellness Fair on Cruz Plaza on Oct. 22. The annual event is hosted by the Student Government Association and the University's Counseling and Psychological Services.
“The Wellness Fair is an event that just promotes awareness about sexual health, mental health, physical health and any kinds of health that student organizations want to talk about,” Micah Scott ’27, SGA's leading senator-at-large and chair of the Student Affairs Committee, said.
In addition to free food and a petting zoo, tables featured interactive games, giveaways and resources ranging from stress management and nutrition tips to mental health outreach and campus safety initiatives.
“The idea is to have a fun, engaging, free event for students at a critical time in the year,” said Shaun Kell, assistant director for CAPS. “It’s wellness-focused and showcases groups and community partners that promote mental health.”
CAPS provides free counseling and psychological services for Mercer students. “Events like this allow us to focus on prevention, helping students engage with healthy communities before small stressors become larger problems,” Kell said. “The most important thing students can do to take care of themselves is to have healthy, face-to-face relationships and supportive communities.”
The event, coordinated through SGA, took weeks of preparation. Scott said planning the event was both challenging and rewarding. “You have to start early and stay organized,” Scott said. “Seeing everyone come out and enjoy themselves makes it worth it.”
Among the student organizations participating was the Psychology Club, which hosted a wellness tic-tac-toe game. “It’s all about making sure that students actually get the correct information on wellness and mental health,” Psychology Club President Daniel Browne ‘27 said. “As soon as we can start dispelling some of those misinformation and disinformation facts, we can actually get more on the ball of helping students.”
For many students, the fair was both fun and meaningful, offering a refreshing break from midterms. “The weather was great, and it was a good chance to get outside and see what Mercer has to offer,” Joelle Coffey ’29 said. “I think my favorite part was how the groups presented themselves differently.”
Organizations hosted an array of activities, ranging from advice boards, fidget toys and hand-written letters.
One of the biggest hits of the event was the petting zoo, featuring rabbits, sheep, goats, geese and pigs. Students lined up around the plaza to step inside the fenced-in exhibit. “It was so fun to see, and I was glad that they were able to bring that resource to us,” Coffey said.
As students left Cruz Plaza with snow cones in hand, Scott reflected on the event’s success. “I was nervous at first that no one would show up, but seeing the turnout really brings me a lot of joy.”
